The Bold and the Beautiful History: Remember Thorne

Throughout soap opera history, there have been leading men who are fated to be a step behind their older brothers. That’s not the case with Thorne on The Bold and the Beautiful. Over the decades, the character’s been played by four different actors – Clayton Norcross, Jeff Trachta, Winsor Harmon, and Ingo Rademacher (with Harmon playing the part the longest).

Sweet Caroline

Thorne loved Caroline, his brother, Ridge’s fiancée, from afar – and then up close after his big brother blew the wedding and Caroline called things off. Thorne, the safe choice, wed Caroline after she was date-raped. Thorne chose to be oblivious to the fact that his bride still loved Ridge, but he conspired with Brooke to keep the two separated.

Mom Liked You Best
Thorne shared with his mother Stephanie that he knew Ridge was always going to be her favorite. Ridge hopped into Caroline’s bed as a “prank,” but things got out of hand and the two made love. Thorne discovered the betrayal, got drunk, and shot Ridge in the head. Steph lied that she’d pulled the trigger to save Thorne — and the family.

Macy’s Special
Thorne split from Caroline and bonded with Macy — daughter of fashion rival Sally Spectra — after they were locked together in a stateroom on board the Queen Mary. The two made beautiful music together literally, singing duets many times. Thorne and Macy wed despite a lack of support from his family. Alas, Macy was the first suspect when corporate espionage occurred. During an estrangement, Thorne dated Karen, his late wife Caroline’s twin sister.

Broadway Bound
Evil Anthony Armando framed Thorne for Ivana’s murder, but he broke out of jail to try to rescue Macy. Anthony was eventually apprehended after shooting Sally. Macy and Thorne reconciled, and he went off to Broadway to appear in Grease.

Taylor Made
Thorne and Macy split after they clashed over illegal immigrant Claudia Cortéz. He moved on to a new romance with Taylor, who was pregnant with Ridge’s child but didn’t tell him. Taylor rejected Thorne as a romantic interest, balking at his idea that they go to Tahiti together, but Thorne stood by Taylor after she’d been burned in a fire.

Surprise Reunion
Thorne and Macy reunited after Taylor and Ridge reconnected and Macy’s husband Grant died. Thorne jumped ship to work at Spectra after Stephanie sided with Ridge at Forrester. But alas, Macy and Thorne’s reunion was short-lived. He fell into a surprise romance with Brooke, which infuriated Stephanie. Macy started drinking again and “died” after a car she was driving in (with Brooke) struck a tanker. Thorne rescued Brooke but didn’t get back in time for Macy.

That’s Amore
Thorne and Brooke wed, but he had a vision of Macy and asked for a divorce. Ridge didn’t help matters by pretending to still be in love with Brooke so she’d dump Thorne. But Thorne’s dance card wasn’t blank for long – he was reunited with Macy, who’d been rescued at the last second by her dad, Adam.

Meet Alexandria

Thorne opted to marry Darla, pregnant with his daughter, later named Alexandria, after Macy’s surname. In a heartbreaking turn, Macy was crushed by a chandelier at a nightclub. Sally informed everyone that she had disconnected Macy’s life support and she had died. (Did she?)

Son-Burned
Thorne blasted Eric for siding with Ridge at Forrester since he (Ridge) wasn’t Eric’s biological son, but rather the child of Massimo. Stephanie made Thorne president of Forrester after learning she was the company’s sole owner. Thorne and Darla took Sally in after Spectra shut down.

Triple Tragedy
Thorne was devastated after Darla was struck and killed by Taylor, who was driving after drinking. Next, he mourned the death of his mother, Stephanie. Finally, tragedy occurred again when Aly was killed while fighting with Steffy. A few years later, after putting those tragedies behind him, Thorne hastily wed Katie Logan.

The couple spent some happy months together, but one day, Thorne woke up and realized the marriage had been a mistake. He and Katie got an amicable divorce, and he returned to Europe. The Bold and the Beautiful (BB) airs weekdays on CBS. Check your local listings for airtimes.